Ngāi Tūhoe, Waikato-Tainui, Ngāti Manawa, Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Whare, Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Whakaue

Dip (Te Reo), Dip (Maori Governance), LLB, LLM, MInstd

Te Rika is an accomplished leader with expertise in strategy, governance, and sustainability. He has built a professional career grounded in the service of his people, hāpori and the wider public. In the past, Te Rika served as the Head of Programme Design and Delivery for Tuaropaki, where he led transformative initiatives grounded in kaupapa Māori for the $1.2 Billion Māori trust. More recently, Te Rika has held Senior Advisory roles within the Ministry for Māori Development, where he drove impactful region-wide outcomes.

Te Rika is the Deputy Chair of FENZ Bay of Plenty, a Board Member for Toi Kai Rawa (Māori Economic Development Agency, Bay of Plenty) and a trustee for Toi Matarua Indigenous Research Center (Hawkes Bay). He is also a member of the Global Advisory Council for the LEGO Foundation and proudly represents his whānau and hāpori as a trustee for his Marae, Hapū, and Tribal Authority in Te Rohe Pōtae o Tūhoe. In the past, Te Rika was also a Regional Chair for Te Pāti Māori and an Executive Board Member/Pou Tikanga to the Māori Law Society at the University of Waikato.

As a rangatahi himself, Te Rika embodies our trusts vision of being rangatahi led, driven, and inspired. This talent for leadership is reflected in Te Rika’s receipt of numerous accolades including the Institute of Directors Emerging Māori Director Award (2025), Tapuwae Roa’s Te Pou Herenga Tangata Award (2024) and a New Zealander of the Year Local Hero Medal (2021).

As our General Manager, Te Rika leads with a clear vision to empower excellence and innovation across all facets of the organisation. With his eyes fixed on the future, Te Rika oversees the operational, financial, and cultural well-being of Te Puna Ariki with sustainability at the forefront. This caliber of leadership ensures that we are aligning with our kaupapa Māori values and the aspirations of rangatahi, whānau, hapū, and iwi.